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how do you make them grow. My friends are freking out. I gave them hundreds of dollars in corals and these eggs are making them more happy than a 120 gallon tank full of corals.
This takes some preparation and is really beyond the scope of this page. I recommend reading the Plankton Culture Manual from Florida Aqua Farms. Its tells all you need to know and more about raising nannochloropsis oculata, greenwater, and Brachionus sp., rotifers. They also can provide live cultures and starter kits. Rotifers are the first foods and must be fed immediately to the larvae. Depending on the species you'll need to feed them rotifers for the first 3 days to 3 weeks.
The Day of Hatching
When the eggs are first laid they are a bright orange. After a couple of days the color fades and eyes appear. The male guards the nest and fans the eggs to keep them oxygenated. Depending on the temperature, around day 8 the eyes will become silver. This means its time to hatch.
At this point you must decide to stay up after the lights go out and catch the larvae or move the eggs to the larvae tank. If you decide to leave them with the parents to hatch you can shine a flashlight in the corner of the tank. The larvae are attracted to the light and then you can either syphon the larvae out or scoop them out with a ladle. If you move them you must keep the eggs aerated gently with a airstone or fungus will set in.
The Larvae Tank
A simple 5 or 10 gallon tank works fine for a larvae tank. Add a heater and an airstone and you're set. No real biological filtration is usually provided. I have used live rock, but there's always a chance of bacteria infection coming from it. Ammonia needs to be monitored. Adding Amquel or its equivalent when traces show up have been beneficial. Having a bare bottom makes it easier to clean. You may need to leave a light on the first few until the larvae develop their hunting skills.
The first 10 days are the most crucial. This is the period when the greatest number are lost. For some reason metamorphosis (around day 10) is very stressful. Immediately following this transition stage, the youngsters will begin developing their stripes... after which point you're pretty much home free. And free to enjoy your beautiful little clowns! Good luck!
clownfish eggThree day old clownfish egg. The "stalk" at the base of the egg is actually the tuft of adhesive filaments that held the egg onto the rock that served as the spawning site.